Incaceron Alternate Ending
by Dean Barlett
Summary: Different ending to the first book


"Show me the stars" Gildas whispered to Finn's ear. Finn barely held the old man up, which was strange because Gildas was very light. Especially now, he had lost a lot of blood, and didn't have much time. But Finn would do it, he would show his mentor the stars. He tried desperately, praying to Sapphique, to Claudia, anyone. If there was ever a time in his entire life that Finn actually wanted a fit to befall him, now was the time. Then, suddenly, as Gildas groaned and coughed the last of his life, he could feel it. He could feel himself slipping. His hands were sweating, he began to shiver and shake. He was losing his thoughts, a vision was taking control. And Gildas was with him. Then he saw them, the stars. He was in the middle of a vast and beautiful lake. Lights shown across the water, reflecting beautifully. Small boats bobbed up and down in the distance, yet Finn felt nothing in the water where they stood. It was calm; the sound of the boats pacing though the water seemed to reflect the peacefulness, the feeling of safety. A perfectly white swan reared up in the water and approached them. Slowly and gracefully, it raised its head to speak. "Finn," the swan's voice was like silk. "Gildas does not see the stars, he is ignorant and he is blind" the beautiful voice seemed to change to a cruel taunt, while Finn looked down to see his mentor's eyes, were closed. "As are you Finn, you will never truly see the stars" He could hear it now, the mocking, cruel, words came out like a blade to sever his pride, his happiness, as they had done before. But Finn ignored them and turned to Gildas. "Gildas!" Finn cried, desperately. "Gildas!" "Gildas, open your eyes, see them!" "See the stars!" "He can't Finn," the swan mocked, and almost seemed to grin. "He is dead, his dream was unfulfilled" "You will meet his fate," Finn was now shouting, screaming for Gildas to awake, to open his eye, to see the stars he had longed for.

But now there were flames igniting and burning his beautiful world to a crisp, the boats were incinerated. The water itself seemed to be consumed by what seemed like the fires of hell itself. The Swan rose, Finn screamed at Gildas. But he would not see. "FINN" the swan roared, and suddenly, flames exploded from its wings and body. "YOU WILL DIE HERE STARSEER, YOU HAVE DEFIED ME, YOU WILL NEVER SEE THEM!" "YOU ARE BUT AN INSECT WITHIN ME!" "I HAVE SWALLOED YOU WHOLE!" "YOU WHO PRAYED AND WEPT AND LONGED FOR AN ESCAPE! "BUT I AM GREATER THAN YOU COULD IMAGINE STARSEER!" "YOU, WHO TOOK THE PATH OF MY SON SAPPHIQUE" "YOU, WHO WISH TO ESCAPE FROM ME, YOUR FATHER!" "THE STARS ARE MINE!" "I WILL HAVE THEM FOR THEY ARE MY DREAMS, MY DESIRES, MY CURSE!" With the word Finn felt his dream being torn to pieces, dragged back to the hell of the prison. He could feel Incaceron's claw groping and stabbing, tearing him away. The swan screeched, the boats exploded, he heard voices. Fear and panic, and his name. In the darkness that his dream had become he heard only his name pull him back. The claws were gone, but he was still being dragged to reality. With a jolt, Finn open his eyes and seized up. Gildas was lying motionless, leaned down to feel his heart beat. Nothing. He then slowly realized that rubble was falling, the earth was shaking. Incarceron was enraged. He heard Attia and Keiro yelling his name. But he didn't move. Everything was slow. As if in a dream. Attia grabbed his wrist and she dragged him up, forward. They were running. But Finn knew Incarceron had had enough. The game was finished. "I knew you would realize starseer" Incarceron's new voice was soft and metallic. Yet, almost soothing, as if it really cared. About Finn, About Attia and Keiro, about Gildas, about the other millions of prisoners trapped forever inside it. A jet of flame then shot suddenly from the wall, Finn being dragged out of the way a split second before it would have consumed him. Attia shouted "Smash it!" Finn watched Keiro lift a rock and theow it and the eye in the corner of the ceiling. The red dot was smashed apart, but Finn could feel Incarceron's laughter. "Pathetic" Finn could now here the voice echo through the corridors, Attia and Keiro heard to, but only kept running. Finn stopped, his feet suddenly secured to the floor. Attia fell forward, Keiro turned and shouted. Incarceron chuckled again.

"My eyes may be broken, but I will not let you go..." Incaceron's voice was now seductive and sinister, as if trying to lure Finn in rather than just take him.

"I will not let you leave..."

Finn glanced up towards the roof of the wing, where he saw a massive boulder was loosened, the area around it weakened by the shaking.

" I have provided for you, watched you..."

"I knew you were different, like my son Sapphique..."

Finn heard a massive CRACK from above him as the rock gave way and fell.

"You wanted to see the stars..."

Finn saw the rock falling, heard shouts screaming, but Incaceron drowned them out.

"You wanted to escape..."

"But you will not..."

"For, even if I cannot see you, I know you are here..."

With a final glance, Finn saw the boulder plummet towards him.

"...and I will hold you tight, my son"


End file.
